Rail-joint.



W. T. MORGAN.-

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY n. 1916.

1, 23 8 1 78. Patented 'Aug. 28, 41917.

WITNESS WILLIAM T. MORGAN, OF MCKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Application filed July 11, 1916. Serial No. 108,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WJLLIAM T. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of means for connecting the abuttlng ends of the track rails of a railway.

One object of the invention is the provision of a rail joint having novel uneans whereby the abutting ends of ad oining rails in a railway track are detachably connected or secured one to the other.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rail joint having coacting, dovetalled tongued and grooved members on the rails and splice bars whereby the splice bars are secured in place in fastening the end of one rail to another.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rail joint having improved means for fastening the dovetail tongues formlng part of my improved construction to the web of the rails.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a rail joint having the novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts shown in the drawings, to be more fully described hereinafter, and to be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal side elevation showing a rail joint constructed and arranged and applied to the abutting rail ends of a railway track, in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rail joint: shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the splice bars removed to shown the dovetail tongues or keys as fastened to the web of the rails at the abutting ends thereof in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the rails and rail joint shown in the preceding figures.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing one manner of fastening the tapering dovetail tongues or keys to the rails in accordance with my invention.

In the accompanying drawings the nu which are of the usual known construction and have a head 1, and flanges 5, 5, integrally joined by a web 6 to the head 4.

Fastened to each of the rails 2 and 3 one on each side of the web 6 of the rails are lengthwise tapering dovetailed tongues or keys 7 and 8. The tongue 7 on the web 6 of one rail and the tongue 8 on the same side of the web 6 of the opposite rail are tapered so that the inclined edges 9, 9, of the tongue 7 forma continuation of the edges 10, 10, of the other tongue 8, as is -clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Preferably the pairs of tongues 7 and 8 are detachably connected to the rail webs by means of pairs of sectional or longitudinally split pins 11 having a countersunk head 12 oneach end and having a taper central member 13 which when driven between the pin sections 11 holds the pins in position within the registering recesses in which they are placed. The tongues 7 and 8 have countersunk holes therein which register with the openings or holes 6 in the web 6 of the rails. The holes 6 as is shown in Figs. 2 and 5 are oval or elongated so as to provide for expansion and contraction of the track rails. The countersunk heads 12 on the sectional pins 11 have a diameter of such size relative to the holes in the tongues and small diameter of the oval holes 6 in the rail webs as will permit the outer or headed sections of the pins 11 to be inserted within the registering holes of the tongues and rail web. The middle or wedging section 13 is then inserted between the outer sections 11, 11, so as to expand the sec tional pins '11 within the holes. The countersunk heads 12 on the pin, by engagement with the countersunk surfaces of the holes in the tongues 7 and 8 rigidly secure the tongues in place on the rail ends.

However, when desired or found necessary countersunk rivets may be employed to fasten the tongues 7 and 8 to the webs of the rails in lieu of the sectional pins 11 and wedges 13.

As will be seen by reference to Figs. 8 and 4, the tongues 7 and 8 on one side of the rail webs taper in the opposite direction to the tongues 7 and 8 on the opposite side of these rails.

Splice bars 14: and 15 which are of the same construction and, which are inter= changeable, are provided to engage with the tongues 7 and 8 in securing the rail ends together. The spliced bars 1i and 15 have a vertical web portion 16 integrally joined to a foot portion 17 and the lower surface of the foot portion 17 and upper edge of the web portion 16 are inclined at an angle so as to fit neatly between the under surface of the rail head 4 and the top surface of the opposite rail flange 5.

The inner surface of the splice bars is provided with a dove tailed groove therein which tapers longitudinally at the same angle as the pairs of longitudinally tapering dovetailed tongues 7 and 8 which are fastened on the rail ends, the dovetailed groove in the splice bars engaging with the tongues and wedging the splice bars in place on the rails, and in this way rigidly fastening the rail ends together.

The tongues 7 have roughened or notched portions 18 on. their outer surfaces, and this roughened portion of the tongues is adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the set screws 19 which are screwed in a threaded opening provided for that purpose in one end of the web 16 of the splice bars.

In using rail joints made in accordance with my invention, the tongues 7 and 8 are fastened to the webs of the rails preferably in the shop, and the splice bars alsoare completed in the shop in readiness for use in connecting the ends of abutting rails. In constructing a railway track the rails 2, 3, are laid in the usual manner, and splice bars 14L and 15 are driven lengthwise over the pairs of tongues 7 and 8 on each side of the web of the rails, so as to engage with the dovetailed tongues and fasten the rails in assembled position. After the splice bars are driven lengthwise into holding position the set screws 19 are turned to cause the inner ends thereof to engage with the roughened or scored surfaces 18 on the tongues 8 so as to prevent backing off of the splice bars by vibration of rolling stock passing over the railway track.

As one splice bar is driven on its tongues from left to right, and the other on its tongues from right to left, loosening of the joint by reason of expansion and contraction of the track rails will be overcome and prevented.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appending claims. The dovetail tongues may be welded to the rail webs and other changes may be made without departing from my invention "as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a rail joint, the combination with abutting rail ends, oppositely tapering dovetailed tongues at the ends of the rails on the side surfaces of the rail webs and means for fastening said tongues in fixed position on said rails, of splice bars having similarly tapering dovetailed grooves adapted to engage with said dovetailed t-ongues to fasten the rails in interlocking engagement, said splice bars being adjustable on said tongues to tighten the oint therebetween and means for locking the splice bars in tightened position. on said tongues.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with abutting rail ends, dovetailed tongues on opposite sides of the rail webs, the tongues on one side tapering oppositely to those on the other side of the webs, and means for fastening the tongues in fixed position on the rails, of splice bars having dovetailed grooves, said grooves being arranged to receive said tongues to fasten the rails in interlocking engagement and means on the splice bars engaging with said tongues to fasten the splice bars in tight holding engagement on said tongues.

8.111 a rail joint, the combination with abutting rail ends having oppositely tapering dovetailed tongues on the side surfaces of the rail webs, of splice bars having dovetailed grooves adapted to engage with said dovetailed tongues to adjustably fasten the rails in interlocking engagement, said tongues and rail webs having registering openings therein with fastening pins within said openings and the openings in the web of said rails being elongated and means on the splice bars engaging with the tongues for fastening the splice bars in adjusted position on the rails.

1. In a rail joint, the combination with abutting rail: ends having dovetailed tongues on the opposite sides of the webs of said rails, of splice bars having dovetailed grooves, said grooves being arranged to receive said tongues to fasten the rails in interlocking engagement, the tongues on one side tapering oppositely to those on the other side of said rails, and said tongues and rail webs having registering openings therein with sectional pins in said openings to fasten the tongues on said rail ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM T. MORGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C. 

